The Calm

Though sometimes it hasn't felt so calm. If Alison survives fourth grade (if we all survive), it'll be a miracle.

The rest of the week was normal/busy. There was school, work, homework, piano, church, and all the other craziness that makes up our week.

Wednesday was Young Women in Excellence. It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible, either. And Thursday I was at an elementary school fun night for work, which brought back an old desire to be a preschool teacher. I don't think I'd want to do it every day, but it was fun to pretend for a couple of hours.

It turned cold, as well, much to my chagrin. I hate the weather this time of year; I just want to hibernate. And so, on Friday, I did. Huddled under a blanket with thick socks and a sweater on and wrote and watched Sense & Sensibility. I could spend all winter like that, but unfortunately, I have a job and kids.

I took Caitlyn and four of her friends to see Catching Fire. Which was, perhaps surprisingly, quite good. I haven't read the book since it came out in '09, but I didn't let that get in my way of enjoying it very much. I like how they brought in things that weren't introduced until Mockingjay, and I like how they expanded President Snow's role to be more menacing. Caitlyn did reread the book before we went, and she was quite impressed. And she's got a good group of friends; they chatted and gushed and laughed at Orange Leaf afterward. It was a good evening.

I managed to squeeze in book group on Saturday; we ran away to the bookstore to get away from my interrupting kids. I had to force myself to not pick up or straighten shelves. Oy. I walk in there and I want to clean. Comes from being there 18 hours a week, I guess.

And then last night was the ward Thanksgiving dinner/talent show. Kristen showed some art, Alison could never decide on what song to sing so she just didn't, and Caitlyn sang "Maybe This Time" from Caberet and did an excellent job (even though she didn't think she did). And the food wasn't bad, either.

Thankfully we all have a short week this week. Crazy Monday and Tuesday and then five days of relaxing. (And putting up Christmas stuff.) And then... December.

Where does the time go?

The Budding Filmmakers

Kristen, the director/documentarian. Alison, the actress. Enjoy!











I think they have a future on YouTube.

And... That's a Wrap

 Since Megan is stuck in rural India where she has wifi, but the only site that works is Facebook (no joke), I'll update all of you not on Facebook as to what she's doing. They had a wedding for some basil plants (no she couldn't figure that out either, though I suspect that it was so Megan could see a wedding before heading out), and now she's out touring rural India. She got to tour a factory that helps low-income people be more sustainable, and picked up some lovely items there. I don't know much else.... only that she'll be traveling around for the next six weeks, about a week in each place. Hopefully, she'll get a lot out of it.

As for the rest of us: I made it home by dinner on Monday, though honestly, driving 9 hours after three nights in hotels is not my idea of fun (or being safe). Also: Sense and Sensibility is not a captivating enough audio book to keep me awake. Also also: IKEA no longer has the picture frames I've loved for many years (I stopped in Dallas, hoping to get some). I was sad. Also also also: In and Out has some dang good burgers. I had to stop.

I was bombarded when I got home by girls who Needed Their Mom; Dads are fun, but not Good Enough sometimes. Good thing I'd had a weekend to relax. I was also bombarded with Winter Weather. Have I mentioned how much I dislike Winter? I DISLIKE WINTER A GREAT DEAL.

Thankfully, we still had the rental car so getting everyone where they needed to go in relative warmth wasn't too hard. Though I should make my kids tough it out to and from school. I walked uphill both ways barefoot in the snow after all.

Yesterday was delightfully lazy. Alison and I had book group, and then we hung around doing nothing until we went on a bike ride to a park because yesterday decided to be nice. It was lovely.

Mama Went Down to Austin

And this is what she saw:

Friends!

An Amazing Bookstore!

I thought this was hilarious.

Good food! 

Cool Architecture!

Guitars!

Weird things on the way home!

Presents! (These are Alison's. She was very happy.)

It's good to be home, though.

Thoughts From a Dark Hotel Room, Part 2

This time, I'm in Austin, trying not to wake up my roommate (I didn't succeed, so the lights may come on here soon). KidlitCon was yesterday -- it's my annual pilgrimage to wherever so I can hang out with like-minded, bookish, people for a couple of days. It was yesterday, and I had a fabulous experience. I think I offended one person, but that's her problem, not mine (I did apologize). But, mostly, I talked and laughed with and listened to some very interesting and smart people I wish I could talk and laugh with and listen to on a regular basis back home.

 

Once a year will have to be enough.

 

Both Megan and I were having a rough week (Megan via the internet, me via home), so Russell suggested we Skype on Wednesday. I pulled Caitlyn out at lunch because I figured she'd appreciate seeing her sister, as well (I was right). It was SO night for the three of us to sit and chat and giggle and laugh. I miss my daughter, but I know she needed to leave to grow up and experience things. Still, sometimes it's difficult. I'm SO grateful for Skype. (And her blog posts. And her letters. It helps to know what's going on in her life. *looks pointedly at her*)

 

Russell has said they've had a good weekend. He was busy with school stuff on Thursday night and a community lecture on Friday night, but the girls were okay. (I was home on Thursday; I didn't drive down here until Friday. The drive was good, but MAN Texans love construction. It was like the entire I-35 was being repaired from Gainesville to Austin. Sheesh. Enough already.) Alison had a sleepover with Sophia, and Kristen and Caitlyn watched UP. And then on Saturday, they had the Chavezes over and went to a corn maze (and I think they chased Daddy around it, or at least that's what I understand from what Kristen said on the phone), and then played at home (and made a HUGE mess) and Kristen lost another tooth.

 

And today, well, I'm going to be lazy and enjoy Austin (though I've already gone to Book People. We spent an entire day talking about books and blogging yesterday, and then someone said, "Hey, let's go to book people!" And so we did. It's a good bookstore.) and see some friends that live here. It'll be fun!

Halloween and Rain

We carved pumpkins.

We jumped in leaves.

Alison and Kristen went trick or treating.

It poured rain for two days and made me wish we had a second car.

We got in the yard and did some winterizing.

Caitlyn went to a party and got a haircut (not short. Just bangs.)

Russell and I took Alison and Kristen to Watermark to see The Lone Ranger (the original). It was fun.

We went to church and there was a choir practice with Christmas music.

Now we're playing Apples to Apples.

Life is good.

Halloween!

On Halloween, Caitlyn and I curled up with Dark Shadows (kind of horrible, actually) and answered the door for our seven trick-or-treaters (more than last year!), while Russell took the Avengers and a vampire trick-or-treating.

They had a grand time and came home with a TON of candy. All is right in the world.

It's Fall!

For WEEKS Kristen has been eyeing the maple trees in our front yard, waiting, begging for the leaves to fall so she could make a pile to jump in.

Thursday --  yes that was Halloween! -- was the day. It had been raining all week, but it cleared out and was GORGEOUS, and so Russell went out and raked a pile.

Which they proceeded to jump and bury themselves in.

 Ah. The simple joys of fall.

Mr. Jack o' Lantern

Monday night, since it was our only real free night this week, we spent carving our pumpkins. We each got one (well, Kristen and I shared), we put on It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and set to carving.

Caitlyn's

Alison's

Kristen's/mine

Russell's

And them all lit up. We were quite proud of them!

Four Chords Song

Caitlyn found this a while back (thanks to Mr. Goter?) in the original version. But I adore Vocal Point, so here's the a cappella version.

For My Dad.

The Japanese are amazing.